


That One Word

by aquilaofarkham



Category: Fallout - Fandom, Fallout 4
Genre: Established Relationship, Family Reunions, Fluffy Ending, Interracial Relationship, M/M, Meet the Family, Returning Home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-09-02 12:41:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8668075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquilaofarkham/pseuds/aquilaofarkham
Summary: After much thought, Preston Garvey finally reunites with his family after years of being away from home and decides to bring along the Sole Survivor to meet everyone.





	

What was originally going to be an easy thirty minute long road trip out to the country quickly turned into a frustrating experience that lasted well over an hour. Admittedly, Joseph Tokwiroh-Bane had no one to blame but himself. If he had taken some time to properly fix the old truck, something he promised to do nearly a week ago, neither he nor Preston would be dealing with their current situation.

“Try again!” Joseph called out from behind, his hands planted firmly against the back of the truck.

“You sure you don’t want to switch places?” Preston asked, sticking his head out the driver’s window.

“I’m fine!” He wasn’t, not really. But Joseph didn’t want to trouble Preston. After all, it was a big day for his Lieutenant. “Let’s just get this thing moving.”

The whole thing must have been an amusing sight for anyone passing by: two men in the middle of the road trying to jumpstart a broken down truck while a dog wearing its own goggles and bandana remained seated in the open back. Not the strangest of course, considering the kind of environment they lived in, but still amusing.

“You seem very comfortable,” Joseph grumbled to Dogmeat.

“What was that?”

“Nothing! Ready?”

“Ready!” Joseph heard Preston start the ignition and immediately began pushing. No luck. Preston tried again, mumbling a frustrated “c’mon” but the truck still wouldn’t budge. Finally, just as his wrists were starting to hurt, Joseph heard the engine sputter a bit before the vehicle slowly moved further down the road. Both he and Preston let out triumphant laughs while Dogmeat barked.

“Hey, you forgot someone!” Joseph yelled, catching up to the truck. As he hopped into the passenger seat, Preston reached over and rubbed his tense shoulders.

“You want me to drive the rest of the way, babe?”

“It’s okay, I’ll do it.”

“No, let me. At least I know exactly where we’re going.”

Joseph couldn’t argue with that. Yet after he said it, Preston began to doubt his own words. He hoped, even prayed that the Garvey Homestead was still right where he left it. But he had been gone for so long; he wasn’t sure if everything stayed the same or if something happened. _I knew I should have tried sending a letter or a radio call before we left._

Those kinds of thoughts, plus a dozen more, plagued his mind for the rest of the drive. Joseph noticed how uncomfortable and anxious he looked when they arrived at a series of wide-open farm fields Preston recognized from his childhood. “You okay?”

“Hm? Oh, I… yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” Preston didn’t know why he bothered with that excuse. He knew he couldn’t fool Joseph.

“C’mon, what’s wrong? You look like you’d rather be anywhere else right now.”

“I’m just nervous. And excited. Mostly nervous, though.”

“You’re starting to sound like me. You’ll be fine. This is your family, I’m sure they’ll be overjoyed to see you after all those years.”

 _Overjoyed might be a bit of an exaggeration, General._ “But…” Preston decided to just come out with what was really bothering him. He and Joseph told each other everything; they understood each other, more than most others could. Of course he of all people would understand.

“I keep thinking about Quincy and what happened to the Minutemen. I don’t know how to explain that to them. I… I don’t know if they’ll still be proud of me if I do. That’s what I’m most nervous about.”

Joseph looked at Preston, his expression turning soft, and gently held his hand while the other one kept a firm grip on the stirring wheel. “Of course they’ll be proud you, especially when I tell them about all the people and communities you’ve helped.” Preston’s heart still felt like it was close to dropping straight down into his stomach, but he managed to give Joseph a humble smile.

“Don’t embarrass me too much.”

“I’m being serious here. Just tell them the truth about what happened, and I’ll be right there with you.”

“… thanks, babe.” Preston replied, intertwining his fingers with Joseph’s. Before he knew it, they were already driving up a familiar dirt road, the truck bouncing and shaking every inch of the way, towards a quaint country home with a small barn and stable next to it. All of a sudden, Preston felt like he had stepped back in time to when he was eighteen-years-old; they day he left home for Boston to join the Minutemen.

Upon closer inspection, he couldn’t believe how much the Garvey Homestead hadn’t changed since he was gone. There was still the white house that needed a new paint job, the rickety wooden pen that usually kept in one or two brahmin, and a modestly sized garden for growing vegetables and herbs.

Then he noticed someone just to the side of the house chopping firewood. Preston immediately recognized her. After so many years, Mrs. Garvey still wore the same kind of worn out leather boots, tattered headband scarf amidst curly grey hair, and loose fitting floral dress.

“Is that your mother?” Joseph asked as the truck stopped.

Preston was almost speechless. “That’s her. That’s really her.”

“You ready?”

“… yeah, I’m ready. Just wait here.” Taking a deep breath, Preston adjusted his cowboy hat and got out of the truck. He took a brief moment to scratch Dogmeat behind the ears – for personal comfort and good luck – before making his way towards the house. His nerves worsened the closer he got, but kept walking until he felt confident enough to speak up.

“Excuse me, m’am.” Mrs. Garvey raised her head and slowly lowered the axe in her hands, staring at him with a half curious half suspicious expression.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes. I, ah…” Preston stammered, taking off his hat. He knew she wouldn’t recognize him right away. “I’m with the Commonwealth Minutemen-“

“Wait…” She interrupted after getting a better look at him. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“I think you do. At least I hope you do.” _Does she recognize me? How?_ Just as he was about to reveal who he was, Mrs. Garvey’s eyes widened and covered her mouth out of shock.

“Preston?” She said her voice choked by oncoming tears. “It can’t be you.”

 _It is._ “Hey, ma. I did say I would come home if I could.” Even with the attempted lighthearted tone, Preston could feel his own eyes tearing up something fierce. Dropping the axe, Mrs. Garvey ran up to her son and immediately embraced him. His mother was so much smaller than him, yet she still held on as though he was about to once again disappear from her sight completely.

“Why didn’t you write? Why didn’t you call us? Why didn’t you come back? We were all so worried,” she cried.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I understand why you’re upset and angry at me.”

“I am upset.” Mrs. Garvey paused in an effort to compose herself. “But I can’t bring myself to be angry. I wish you had come home sooner, but you’re here now so I’m thanking the lord for that much.”

Preston smiled through tears as he bent down and let her kiss his forehead. “How did you know it was me?”

“I’d recognize that dusty old cowboy hat anywhere,” Mrs. Garvey chuckled.

“Ma, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Yes, I noticed you brought some company.” She said, pointing at Joseph who was still waiting patiently by the truck. “That your friend over there?”

“You could definitely say that.” After giving the General a “come over here” wave, Preston watched as he and Dogmeat sauntered up the small hill to join them. “Ma, this is Joseph. He’s the newest General of the Commonwealth Minutemen.”

“The newest Gen-!” Mrs. Garvey exclaimed. Another personal trait that never went away was the amount of respect she had for the Minutemen. Preston remembered all the times when they helped defend the Garvey Homestead against raiders, feral ghouls, and other persistent threats. “We’ve always been a strong family. But without the Minutemen, I doubt we would be here anymore” was what his father used to say, thus further fueling his early desire to join them.

Preston couldn’t wait to reveal more about his and Joseph’s relationship, just to watch her reaction.

“Oh my. It’s an honour to meet you sir.”

“Honour’s all mine, ma’am.”

“Well, look at this smooth talker! Polite too.”

Preston couldn’t help but laugh under his breath. _Smooth talker indeed_ , he thought, thinking back to every ridiculous or embarrassing thing Joseph said as the General. “We had planned on visiting just for the day. I want to get you and Pa caught up on everything that’s happened recently-“

“Now wait a minute…” Mrs. Garvey interrupted. “Visiting _just_ for the day? I don’t think so. I know you two must have important matters to attend to back in Boston, but I want Mr. General here to meet the rest of the family before he leaves. And imagine how excited everyone’s gonna be when they see that you’re back, Preston!”

“Everyone…?” Preston gave his mother a shy smile before she darted towards the house, excited to tell Mr. Garvey the good news. In all honesty, he thought the reunion was going to be small and intimate, involving only him, his parents, and maybe a few of his close siblings. _The whole Garvey family’s still around_ , Preston thought. _And they’re all gonna be here to see me…_ He turned to Joseph, wondering about his response to Mrs. Garvey’s plan.

“What do you think, babe?”

“I think the Minutemen are gonna be just fine without us for a couple days.” With Dogmeat by their side, his tag wagging happily, the two men followed Mrs. Garvey into the house.

 

**THE NEXT DAY**

 

Word of Preston’s return spread throughout the countryside faster than expected. By the time he and Joseph woke up, his mother and father were already busy preparing for the lunch potluck with some help from close siblings, neighbours, and grandparents who had arrived before the sun had risen. Less than an hour to noon and even more Garvey family members showed up on the front porch – first cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles, in-laws, and even great-great grandparents. Preston barely had enough time to introduce Joseph to everyone before the festivities officially began.

The rest of the day was filled with homemade food, games for the younger children, and stories told through jokes and boisterous laughs. Meanwhile Dogmeat moved from person to person, receiving whatever leftovers he could beg for. At one point Joseph was pulled away by some of Preston’s oldest siblings who seemed eager to share some embarrassing stories about their younger brother.

“Years ago there used to be this huge male brahmin in one of the fields close to the house, one of the meanest son of a bitches in the Commonwealth. But when Preston was around seven or eight years old, he decides that he’s gonna try taming it.”

“But just as he’s about to mount the thing,” one of the sisters interjected. “It goes completely buck wild and starts chasing him up and down the field. Preston wasn’t able to lose it until he jumped over the fence, climbed up a tree, and started screaming at it until it went away.”

“Have you ever heard him scream, Mr. General sir?”

“Never.”

“It’s more like a high-pitched panicked squeal that only dogs can hear.” While the group kept spilling stories, Joseph thought he saw Preston shoot his siblings a more than passive-aggressive death stare from the other side of the backyard.

Things began to calm down by late afternoon and that was when Joseph’s attitude switched from carefree and sociable to quiet, withdrawn, almost melancholic. He still felt happy to be there, surrounded by the warmest and most hospitable group of people he had ever met in the wasteland, but he knew it was only a matter of time before his own sense of nostalgia reared its ugly head. Wasn’t the first time it happened; Joseph only wished it didn’t happen during a time of celebration.

He looked back at Preston and watched with a bittersweet smile as the Lieutenant’s closest family members gathered around him, acting as though nothing between them had changed since he left. While a lump began to form in the middle of his throat, Joseph held back the tears, stood up, and headed into the house. All he wanted for the moment was to be alone, just to collect his disorganized thoughts. Some were happy; others sad, pitiful, even anxious and he needed a quiet place to try and sort them out.

Joseph walked throughout the Garvey household in a disassociated state until he arrived at Preston’s old bedroom. He sat down on the creaky mattress, resting his elbows on his knees, and noticed all the toys, books, and comics scattered around the room. At least three toys he found looked exactly like ones he used to have as a child – a wooden horse on wheels with a string attached to one end of it, a busted up skateboard, and a sword made out of a single wooden plank.

“You okay, babe?” Preston asked, standing in the doorway. Joseph turned around and quickly tried to make it seem like he wasn’t crying.

“Yeah!” He said, sniffling. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“I just saw you go inside and got worried. Are you not having a good time?”

Joseph tried to remain composed but when Preston sat down beside him, all of his motivation was gone. “No, I’m having a great time. Your family’s fantastic. Sorry for… suddenly abandoning everyone like that.” He began, unaware that his normally deep and steady voice was cracking as the tears flowed from his eyes.

“They… they just reminded me of my own; my parents, grandma, my aunties, and… all my cousins. None of them wanted to see me leave home either but I told them I’d keep in touch. Every day I did my best to write them a letter or call them from Boston. I try not to think too much about what might have happened to them but… when I saw your family and how much they love you, I thought about them and got overwhelmed, then I made the stupid decision of coming up here. I… I just started missing home so much.”

Preston didn’t say much. All he could do was hold Joseph’s hand, listen to him talk, and let him quietly weep. He rubbed his trembling back every time he sounded out of breath. “We can leave if you want to. I’ll understand, babe.” Preston said with genuine sincerity.

“No, no. It’s okay.

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” Joseph exhaled. “I know I look miserable, but at least I got all of that out. Thanks for listening and I’m really happy that you’re happy.” He paused, trying to put his next thought into spoken words. “Like, I said, your family’s amazing.”

“Yeah, they’re really something.”

“Did you tell them about Quincy?”

“I did. They already knew about… what happened, but they wanted to hear it from me. It was tough-“

“But you were tougher.”

“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” Preston laughed. “Ma and Pa are just glad I’m alive and helping the Minutemen rise back up. One thing’s for certain though, everybody adores you.”

“What exactly have you been saying about me?”

“Only the truth, General. Not only about you, but about us. Grandma Garvey keeps asking me why the wedding’s taking so long.”

Joseph chuckled and rested his head upon Preston’s shoulder before pulling him into a tight embrace. After taking a few deep breathes, he whispered his next statement without any hesitation. “ _Konnorónhkhwa_.”

“What was that?”

“ _Konnorónhkhwa_ ,” Joseph repeated with a shy smile. “It’s Kanien’kéha, the language I grew up with for most of my life. It means ‘I love you’. I love you so much.”

Preston brushed some of Joseph’s long black hair out of his eyes, cupping his warm cheeks in both hands, and leaned in to give him a gentle kiss. “I love you too. Do you think you could teach me some? Please?” He asked once their lips eventually parted.

“I can try. Only if you’ll do one thing for me.”

“Whatever you want, General.”

That’s all Joseph needed to hear. "Then I might have an answer for your grandma.”

“G-general…”

“I thought about this a while ago, but… at the time I didn’t think I was ready. Now I do. Preston, will you…” Joseph’s hands shook as his mouth suddenly felt very dry. “Do a… really important… thing with me?”

“You mean marry you?” Preston said, unaware of how loud he sounded. He couldn’t help it, nor could he believe what he just heard. The General wanting to pursue a romantic relationship with him was one thing, but this was something else entirely. Yet despite his disbelief, Preston couldn’t stop smiling as he gave his answer.

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, of course I will!” He replied before hugging Joseph until the two of them toppled back onto the bed. _Yes._ Joseph kept thinking about that one word and how much it meant to him. Yes, I’ll help the Minutemen. Yes, I’ll follow you General. Yes, I’ll keep going despite everything that’s against me.

Yes, I’ll marry you.

“ _Niawenhkó:wa_.” He said, still a little choked up. Preston looked at him, eager to learn what it meant. “It means ‘great thanks’.”

“You know what’ll happen though.”

“What?”

“My folks are gonna have to throw _another_ big celebration get-together.”

“I don’t mind.” _They’re family, after all._

**Author's Note:**

> Just in time for Preston Positivity Week on tumblr~ If you have any questions about my sole survivor, feel free to ask or hit me up at aquilaofarkham.tumblr.com <3


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